Juanita J. ‘Nita’ Enes

Nita was born on Jan. 31, 1915 in Red Lodge, Mont., the daughter of Eva (Castleberry) and Newman C. Whittington.Nita’s mother, Eva, died when Nita was 4 years old, leaving her dad to raise her and her two young brothers, Newell and Glen. She spent her younger years in Thermopolis, where her brother, Glen, died when she was 15. It was a loss she never got over.

She later moved to Lovell and graduated from Lovell High School in 1934, and she worked as a teller at First National Bank in Lovell.

While at her friend Mildred Enes’ house, she met Mildred’s brother, Glen, who was home on leave from the Navy. It was the beginning of a life-long romance.

Nita married Glen on Aug. 26, 1938, in Huntington Park, Calif., and the couple lived in San Diego until the end of World War II, where Glen continued his military service and Nita worked at Bank of America.

The couple moved back to Lovell to help Glen’s dad in the water well-drilling business. It was in Lovell that their two daughters, Carolyn and Nancy, were born.

They lived in Meeteetse for a short time before moving to Powell in 1957 when Glen went to work for Marathon Oil. Once both their daughters were in school, Nita began work as a bookkeeper for First National Bank in Powell. She retired in 1978.

Nita’s whole life was devoted to her family, and she always had a story and a kind word to say to all. A lifelong member of First Methodist Church, Nita also enjoyed painting ceramics and gardening.

Nita was preceded in death by her husband, Glen, in 1976; her parents; and her brothers Newell and Glen Whittington.Services will be on Saturday, March 20 at 4 p.m. at the United Methodist Church. Interment will follow at Crown Hilll Cemetery.

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